MODULE 20
Monitoring and evaluation
PART 3: TRAINER’S GUIDE
The trainer’s guide is the third of four parts contained in this module. It is NOT a training course. This guide provides guidance on how to design a training course by giving tips and examples of tools that the trainer can use and adapt to meet training needs. The trainer’s guide should only be used by experienced trainers to help develop a training course that meets the needs of a specific audience. The trainer’s guide is linked to the technical information found in Part 2 of the module.
Module 20 is about monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of nutrition interventions in emergencies. M&E is an important part of any intervention, however, in emergencies this area is often neglected due to pressure on resources, time and personnel. In order to learn from past interventions and to improve the impact for people affected by humanitarian disasters, simple but effective M&E is essential. The trainer’s guide provides exercises to test the knowledge of trainees around the subject matter and poses some likely situations that humanitarian workers may face. The examples given are taken or adapted from real situations. The guide does not aim to provide an exhaustive training for M&E in emergencies but to raise pertinent issues around this complex subject.
Navigating your way around the guide
The trainer’s guide is divided into seven sections.
1. Tips for trainers provide pointers on how to prepare for and organise a training course.
2. Training exercises from other key modules provide examples of related exercises that can be done in a classroom context by participants individually or in groups.
3. Learning objectives set out examples of learning objectives for this module that can be adapted for a particular participant group.
4. Testing knowledge contains an example of a questionnaire that can be used to test participants’ knowledge either at the start or at the end of a training course.
5. Classroom exercises provide examples of practical exercises that can be done in a classroom context by participants individually or in groups.
6. Case studies contain examples of case studies (one from Africa and one from another continent) that can be used to get participants to think by using real-life scenarios.
7. Field-based exercises outline ideas for field visits that may be conducted during a longer training course.
Contents
1. Tips for trainers
2. Learning objectives
3. Training exercises from other key modules
4. Testing knowledge
Exercise 1: What do you know about monitoring and evaluation?
Handout 1a: What do you know about monitoring and evaluation?: questionnaire
Handout 1b: What do you know about monitoring and evaluation?:
questionnaire answers
5. Classroom exercises
Exercise 2: Monitoring of CMAM programmes for the management of severe acute malnutrition
Handout 2a: Monitoring system for a CMAM programme: Part A
Handout 2b: Monitoring system for a CMAM programme: Part B
Handout 2c: Facilitator’s guide to Handouts 2a and 2b
Exercise 3: Evaluation of a supplementary feeding programme
Handout 3a: WFP targeted supplementary feeding in Ethiopia
Handout 3b: Facilitator’s guide to Handout 3a
6. Case studies
Exercise 4: Key issues for evaluations in emergencies
Handout 4a: Case study I: Real time evaluation of Pakistan flood response
Handout 4b: Case study I: Real time evaluation in Pakistan: instructions for
group work
Handout 4c: Facilitator’s guide to Handouts 4a and 4b
Exercise 5: Evaluation of WFP relief operations in Angola
Exercise 6: Evaluation of WFP response to 2004 tsunami
Handout 5a: Case study II: Evaluation of WFP relief operations in Angola: how to
best use recommendations
Handout 5b: Facilitator’s guide to Handout 5a
Handout 6a: Case study III: WFP response to 2004 tsunami: group work
Handout 6b: Facilitator’s guide to Handout 6a
7. Field-based exercise
Exercise 7: Assessment of the monitoring system of a nutrition intervention under
field conditions
Handout 7a: Participants’ guide to field work exercise
Handout 7b: Facilitator’s guide to field work exercise
1. Tips for trainers
Step 1: Do the reading!
· Read Parts 1 and 2 of this module.
· Familiarise yourself with the technical terms from the glossary.
· Read through the following key documents and consult key websites (see full references and how to access them in Part 4 of this module):
Websites
ü ALNAP, http://www.alnap.org.
ü Emergency Nutrition Network, Field Exchange, www.ennonline.net.
ü Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance Project (FANTA), www.fantaproject.org.
ü Humanitarian Reform, www.humanitarianreform.org.
ü International Red Cross and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Crescent, www.ircr.org and www.ifrc.org.
ü ODI, Humanitarian Practice Network, www.odi.org.uk.
ü Relief Web, www.reliefweb.org.
ü Sphere Project, www.sphereproject.org
ü UNICEF, www.unicef.org;
ü WHO, www.who.org;
ü UNHCR, www.unhcr.org;
ü FAO, www.fao.org.
ü WFP, www.wfp.org
Key documents
ü ALNAP (2006) Evaluating Humanitarian Action using the DAC criteria
ü ECHO (2007) Evaluation of Humanitarian Aid by and for NGOs
ü FANTA. (2006). Assessing Nutrition Situations in Emergencies. Washington: FANTA, www.fantaproject.og/bookmarks/index.shtml.
ü FAO (2005). Protecting and Promoting Good Nutrition in Crisis and Recovery Rome: FAO, www.fao.org; email: .
ü IFE Core Group. (2007). Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies: Operational Guidance for Emergency Relief Staff and Programme Managers Version 2.1. Oxford: IFE Core Group, www.ennonline.net/pool/files/ife/ops-guidance.
ü Oxfam (2001). Oxfam's Approach to Nutrition Surveys in Emergencies. Oxford: Oxfam, www.oxfam.org or SCUK. (2004). Emergency Nutrition Assessment: Guidelines for Field Workers. ISBN 1 84187 090 0, www.savethechildren.org.uk, or WFP. (2005). Food and Nutrition Handbook. Rome: WFP, www.wfp.org.
ü The Sphere Project. (2011). Sphere Handbook: Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response. www.sphereproject.org.
ü Valid International. (2006). Community-based Therapeutic Care: A Field Manual. Oxford: Valid International. http://www.validinternational.org/demo/ctc/reports.php .
ü WHO. (2000). Management of the child with a serious infection or malnutrition. Geneva: WHO. www.who.int/nutrition/publications/malnutrition/en/.
Step 2: Know your audience!
· Find out about your participants in advance of the training:
ü How many participants will there be?
ü Do any of the participants already have experience of nutrition in emergencies?
ü Could participants with experience be involved in the sessions by preparing a case study or contribute through describing their practical experience?
Step 3: Design the training!
· Decide how long the training will be and what activities can be covered within the available time. In general, the following can be guide can be used:
ü A 90-minute classroom-based training can provide a basic introduction.
ü A half-day classroom-based training can provide an overview and include a practical exercise.
ü A one-day classroom-based training can provide a more in-depth understanding of nutrition in emergencies and include a number of practical exercises and/or one case study.
· Identify appropriate learning objectives. This will depend on your participants, their level of understanding and experience, and the aim and length of the training.
· Decide exactly which technical points to cover based on the learning objectives that you have identified.
· Divide the training into manageable sections. One session should generally not last longer than an hour.
· Ensure the training is a good combination of activities, e.g., mix PowerPoint presentations in plenary with more active participation through classroom-based exercises, mix individual work with group work.
Step 4: Get prepared!
· Prepare PowerPoint presentations with notes (if they are going to be used) in advance and do a trial run. Time yourself!
· Prepare exercises and case studies. These can be based on the examples given in this trainer’s guide but should be adapted to be suitable for the particular training context.
· Find the appropriate equipment for the session such as calculators.
· Prepare a ‘kit’ of materials for each participant. These should be given out at the start of the training and should include:
ü Timetable showing break times (coffee and lunch) and individual sessions
ü Parts 1 and 2 of this module
ü Pens and paper
REMEMBERPeople remember 20 per cent of what they are told, 40 per cent of what they are told and read, and 80 per cent of what they find out for themselves.
People learn differently. They learn from what they read, what they hear, what they see, what they discuss with others and what they explain to others. A good training is therefore one that offers a variety of learning methods which suit the variety of individuals in any group. Such variety will also help reinforce messages and ideas so that they are more likely to be learned.
2. Learning objectives
Below are examples of learning objectives for a session on M&E. Trainers may wish to develop alternative learning objectives that are appropriate to their particular participant group. The number of learning objectives should be limited; up to five per day of training is appropriate. Each exercise should be related to at least one of the learning objectives.
Examples of learning objectives
At the end of the training participants will:
· Understand the basic concepts of M&E.
· Be able to describe the main characteristics of monitoring systems.
· Be able to describe key evaluation parameters and the importance of each of the parameters.
· Be aware of the importance of M&E for nutrition interventions in emergencies.
· Be able to design simple M&E systems for key nutrition interventions in emergencies.
· Have enough knowledge to use the findings of both monitoring systems and evaluation surveys.
· Be aware of the present gaps in practice in terms of M&E of nutrition interventions in emergencies.
3. Training exercises from other key modules
The following section identifies relevant exercises for M&E found in other modules in this series.
When planning a training session it is important to be clear about the objectives and the level of practical knowledge trainees will require in order to work more effectively. For example, if the training course is largely for practitioners who will be expected to carry out anthropometric assessments in the field to study the impact of a supplementary feeding programme, concepts of M&E can be drawn from Module 20, and used in conjunction with the practical training on supplementary feeding found in Module 12.
If however the training course is largely for people who will be ‘consumers’ of M&E information, the emphasis should be on understanding basic concepts of M&E, the challenges of M&E in humanitarian disasters, and the practical use of the results of M&E systems. In this case it is not necessary for the trainees to understand all of the potential M&E instruments for all of the possible nutrition interventions, but rather understand the importance of the results produced.
Exercises for carrying out specific assessments and monitoring of nutrition interventions can be found in Part 3 of the following modules. In addition, Part 4 of the all modules has extensive resource lists which can be referenced when designing specific M&E systems for nutrition interventions in emergencies.
Module 6: Measuring malnutrition: individual assessment
Exercise 4: Calculating anthropometric indices and classifying anthropometric data
is an important classroom exercise for practitioners that are planning to carry out an anthropometric assessment.
Module 7: Measuring malnutrition: population assessment.
Exercise 1: What do you know about nutrition surveys?
Case studies + advanced case studies for practitioners: Questions for discussion and development of survey methodologies, including, survey planning, sampling frameworks, logistics and implementation.
Module 9: Food security assessment and the link with nutrition
Classroom-based exercises
Exercise 4: Collecting 24-hour food frequency data
Exercise 5: Linking food security and nutrition data
Field-based exercises
Exercise 6: Testing different interview skills used in food security assessments
Module 11: General Food Distribution
Field-based exercise
Exercise 7: Evaluation of a general food distribution
Module 12: Management of moderate acute malnutrition
Classroom-based exercises
Exercise 3: Assessing SFP performance in relation to minimum standards
Case studies
Exercise 5: Evaluating a targeted SFP in Ethiopia
Field-based exercises
Exercise 7: Evaluation of SFP based on: analysis of monthly reporting forms, focus group discussions with beneficiaries and key informant interviews with implementing staff
Module 13: Management of severe acute malnutrition
This module provides tools for monitoring of interventions for the management of SAM that can be adapted to specific circumstances (See Part 2 and Part 3 of the module.).
Classroom-based exercises
Exercise 4: Data collection and analysis: consolidating monthly reports
Field-based exercises
Exercise 7: Field activities in an outpatient care facility
Exercise 8: Field activities in an inpatient care facility
Module 18: HIV and AIDS nutrition
Field-based exercises
Exercise 8: Checklists for HIV and AIDS nutrition programming in emergencies
4. Testing knowledge
When the facilitator has decided on the main purpose of the training session, PowerPoint presentations of the relevant sections of Module 20 and the other modules referenced above should be prepared. The facilitator should make the presentations as relevant as possible, bringing in examples from real situations and providing space for questions and answers.
This section contains a series of questions that can be used to ensure that all participants in the training session have gained basic knowledge of M&E for nutrition interventions in emergencies.
The questions below should serve as a guide to a facilitator for the preparation of the classroom-based training course. PowerPoints /flip chart/handouts should be prepared summarising key points from Part 2 to enable participants to answer the questions in Handout 1a.
Exercise 1: What do you know about monitoring and evaluation?
The aim is to ensure that basic knowledge of main issues around M&E are understood by practitioners who will be working on nutrition in an emergency
· When should this exercise be done?
The exercise can be used to pre-test knowledge before a training session if practitioners are experienced emergency workers
The exercise can be used as a post training exercise
· How long should the exercise take?
45 minutes to fill in
5-10 minutes to correct each test (tests can be corrected in pairs by participants to save time if necessary)
20 minutes for discussion of results
· What materials are needed?
Handout 1a: Pre and/or post test sheets (answers in bold)
· What does the trainer need to prepare?
Adapt questions to training to be carried out, depending on the material taught during the course
Photocopy the tests
Photocopy the answers
Instructions
Step 1: Administer the test to practitioners, giving them 45 minutes.
Step 2: Ask the practitioners to exchange test sheets.
Step 3: Distribute answer sheets and ask practitioners to correct their neighbours tests
Step 4: Discuss problem areas (for pre-test this should guide the training – post training should be used for additional session for clarification)
Handout 1a: What do you know about M&E and nutrition?: questionnaire